2018 Long Shadow Pirouette Cabernet Based Blend

2018 Long Shadow Pirouette Cabernet Based Blend

2018 Long Shadow Pirouette Cabernet Based Blend Hauntingly good, this a stunning new bottling by Philippe Melka. Dense and chewy, once in the month, this takes on a glorious range of flavours from sagebrush and pipe tobacco to blackcurrant jelly and chocolate cake. The vibrant sense of tension and silky tannins both add to the enjoyment, as this has a long way to go in the cellar. 96pts Dencanet

The 2018 Red Wine Pirouette blends 68% Cabernet Sauvignon with 22% Stone Tree Vineyard Merlot, and 10% Dionysus Vineyard Petit Verdot. The wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak prior to bottling. Aromatically beautiful, you are greeted to black rose petals and blackberry compote tones that mingle with wintergreen and chocolate covered espresso bean accents. Deep and concentrated in the mouth, with fantastic flavor density and tension, this finishes long with black fruits, loamy soils and minerals. Enjoy this texturally-beautiful Left Bank inspired Washington wine over the next twenty years to come. 95pts Vinous

The 2018 Pirouette checks in as 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 85% new French oak. Deep purple-hued, it’s a young, unevolved yet incredibly promising red with smoking good notes of ripe black and blue fruits as well as tobacco, graphite, and chocolate. Dense, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it needs 3-5 years of bottle age but has the depth, balance, and class to evolve for 15-20 years or more. 95pts JD

Since the beginning, Long Shadows’ Director of Winemaking and Viticulture Gilles Nicault, has overseen the operations of the winery and worked closely with the vintners to bring each winemaker’s vision to completion. Internationally renowned winemakers Randy Dunn (Feather Cabernet Sauvignon); John Duval (Sequel Syrah); Philippe Melka (Pirouette Red Wine); and Michel Rolland (Pedestal Merlot) are active partners in their respective wines. Gilles now crafts Poet’s Leap Riesling and Saggi, a Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, in styles that remain true to their original winemakers, Armin Diel and Giovanni Folonari respectively. Gilles crafts Chester-Kidder, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend, independently.

Philippe Melka has reached the Zenith of Cabernet wine making in California, making some of the all-time greats and personal favorites. His first gig was Seavey, he still makes their wines. I had a bottle of the Seavey Cab 2004 on Wednesday night and it was incredible. Others now include Hundred Acre, Cliff Lede, Adamvs, Vineyard 29 and many more.  Melka has ventured outside of California, expanding his Midas touch to Washington State.  Melka is one of many “guest winemakers” for today’s offer, Long Shadow 2018 Pirouette Cabernet Based Blend.  Long Shadow is not only a benchmark Washington State producer, but one of the more unique properties in the world with regards to winemaking.  Long Shadow actually hires individual winemakers for their individual bottlings, instead of the typical format of having one winemaker overseeing an entire portfolio.  The Longshadow Pirouette is helmed by Melka and the great Agustin Huneeus Sr., who together teamed to combine the traditions of old world winemaking, the advancements of new world technology, and small lots from Washington State’s finest vineyards to craft this enticing red blend.  Price increases in Napa Valley have drawn attention towards the monstrously rich reds of Washington, and Long Shadow is making some of the absolute best and is extremely reasonably priced for what’s in the bottle.

Founded in 2003 by Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup, the Long Shadows proposition was as simple as it was complex: recruit a cadre of the finest winemakers in the world; give each vintner access to Washington State’s best grapes; and outfit a winery to accommodate a diverse group of winemakers’ exacting cellar specifications. The idea quickly sold itself, and from the beginning, the wines have enjoyed critical acclaim that has continued to grow vintage after vintage with the style of each wine firmly in place. In addition to the wines, Long Shadows collectively has won numerous awards, including recognition as Food & Wine magazine’s ”Winery of the Year.”

Winemakers who make wine for Long Shadows include Randy Dunn, John Duval, Michel Rolland and Philippe Melka.